Maudlin
/ˈmɔːd.lɪn/noun
Tearful, sentimental, or self-pitying in an exaggerated way.
Did you know?The word began as a form of Magdalene, referring to Mary Magdalene, whose medieval image as a weeping penitent helped turn her name into a byword for tearful remorse.
Etymological Timeline
Biblical Era
Aramaic/Greek
Mariam/Maria Magdalēnē
“Mary of Magdala, the biblical figure later associated in Christian tradition with repentance and tears.”
Late Latin
Latin
Maria Magdalena
“Mary Magdalene; the saint’s name used in religious texts and devotion.”
Middle English
English
maudleyn / maudlin
“A form of Magdalene, especially in reference to Mary Magdalene as a repentant, weeping figure.”
16th-17th Century
English
maudlin
“Overly sentimental, tearful, or affectedly pious, often with the sense of drunken emotion.”
Modern English
English
maudlin
“Tearfully sentimental or self-pitying.”